In developing countries, college can cost several hundred dollars per year -- and yet, if you don't have the money to go, you won't. There's no such thing as school loans -- public or private -- making an education the ultimate privilege.
Vittana aims to change that. Vittana works with microfinance organizations worldwide to help students in developing countries graduate from college and break the cycle of poverty. Through Vittana, people from around the world pledge money to students -- often in small increments -- and help them to achieve their dreams.
Vittana CEO Kushal Chakrabarti explains:
In just 10 months, Vittana has built some of the first college micro-loan programs in six countries around the world including Nicaragua, Peru and Vietnam. $10 and $25 at a time, more than 750 people from over 15 countries have funded over $100,000 in loans to nearly 200 students around the world -- 200 students, who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford college, are now getting their degrees and becoming nurses, accountants, policemen, mechanics, teachers and much more. Vittana students have a 97 percent repayment rate and many lenders are already being repaid.
Here are nine faces of Vittana's work.